The Defence Planning Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met in Ministerial Session in Brussels on 11th June, 1970. Ministers noted with concern the continuing growth of the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact. They reaffirmed the determination of NATO countries to maintain the overall military capability of the Alliance unless that capability can be reduced within the context of mutual and balanced force reductions. They welcomed the preparations made for a comprehensive review to be undertaken of the defence of the Alliance in the decade of the Seventies; a report will be submitted in time for their next meeting. Ministers discussed the continuing expansion of the Soviet presence in the Mediterranean. They welcomed certain appropriate steps already taken by NATO, including the recent activation of the Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean for scheduled activities including exercises and port calls; they invited member countries to continue the improvement of surveillance measures, and they instructed the Permanent Representatives, in consultation with the NATO Military Authorities, to consider further measures designed to improve the Allied presence in the area and to enhance Allied vigilance. The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic gave a presentation on the maritime strategies and capabilities of NATO and the Soviet bloc which analyzed the global maritime strategy of the Warsaw Pact and, among other aspects, underlined the substantial growth of their maritime forces relative to those of NATO. In their discussion of this presentation Ministers noted that the Military Committee is examining measures for improving the NATO maritime posture in the Atlantic. Ministers reviewed the status of various on-going Alliance defence planning studies, including a progress report on the study of the relative force capabilities of NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries. They also noted recent steps taken in support of NATO's strategy of flexibility in response: these included approval of a new five-year infrastructure program, new methods of improving co-operation In research, development and production, and the successful launching and testing of the first NATO communications satellite. The next Ministerial meeting of the Defence Planning Committee will take place in Brussels in December, 1970.